In 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the University of New Orleans (UNO) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), conducted geophysical surveys in Barataria Bight from Sandy Point to Belle Pass, LA (Study Area Map). Sediment cores were collected as part of the USGS Subsidence and Coastal Change (SCC) Project, which included the Barataria Sand-Resource Study (bss) vibracore surveys (Kindinger and others, 2001). This report also contains information from other cruise data sets, including the Cheniere Ronquille, LA, data (CR83) and the Plaquemines, LA, data (P86). The sediment data for these cruises were obtained by the Louisiana Geological Survey (LGS), the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR) and Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey, Inc., as part of the near shore sand resource inventory of "Louisiana Sand Resource Inventory 1985 Vibracore Services" (Suter and others, 1991; Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey, Inc., 1986). Additionally, this report also includes the U.S. Army Corps of EngineersEUSTIS borehole cores (B-#). EUSTIS is the type of drill rig used to obtain the borehole cores and is used as name identifier for the USACE borehole cores presented herein. These cores are presented on a separate map with links to the description profiles and grain-size data that can be found by clicking on the USACE EUSTIS link. This report serves as an archive of vibracore data collected during field activities of Subsidence and Coastal Change (SCC) 00SCC01, 00SCC03, 00SCC05 (collectively noted in the report as 00SCC) by the U.S. Geological Survey, CR83 (Cheniere Ronquille, LA) and P86 (Plaquemines, LA) by the Louisiana Geological Survey and the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, and borehole data collected in 2000 for the U.S. Army Core of Engineers (USACE-EUSTIS). Data presented here include the sections Vibracore Description Sheets, Interpreted Core Classification Profiles, Grain-Size and Penetrometer Data, core location Maps and Core Data Table of all core data analysis files, and vibracore Photographs. Additional data include Field Activity Collection System (FACS) logs and scanned observer's logbooks (Field Logs), as well as formal Federal Geographical Data Committee (FGDC) Metadata.

The USGS Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC) - Coastal and Watershed Studies in St. Petersburg, FL, assigns a unique identifier to each cruise or field activity. For example, 00SCC01 tells us the data were collected in 2000 for the Subsidence and Coastal Change (SCC) study and the data were collected during the first field activity for that project in that calendar year. Refer to http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/infobank/programs/html/definition/activity.html for a detailed description of the method used to assign the cruise ID. The naming convention used for the 00SCC core ID during each cruise is as follows: yy_abc_###, where yy are the last two digits of the year in which the data were collected, abc is one to three letters of abbreviation for the initial project location (for example, bss for Barataria Sand Study), ### is a two to three digit number representing a specific core (for example, 00bss_025). In the case of the CR83 and P86 core ID, the data file names are slightly different, with abc_yy_### instead. The naming convention is the same (CR for Cheniere Ronquille and P for Plaquemines) as above, only the year and the initial project location have been switched (P86_02, and CR83_23). Additionally, some CR and P cores have run1, run2, run a (and so on) appended. Thus, the vibracore was collected until refusal, another barrel was deployed and jetted down to the depth of refusal, and coring was continued. Therefore, the runs were added to the end of the core ID (for example, CR_83_02_run1 and CR_83_02_run2).

The vibracore is a sediment coring system that consists of a vibrating pneumatic head that shakes the core barrel into the sediment. The vibracore head, manufactured by Bradford, is connected to an aluminum pipe 3.5 inches wide and 20 feet in length. A tripod-like quadratic base supports this system. The whole system is lifted from the boat deck and lowered to the seafloor by a hydraulic crane. At the seafloor, the vibrating head is activated. The vibration propagates through the aluminum barrel to the seafloor. This vibration agitates the sediment around the outside of the core barrel, allowing the barrel to slide into the sediment column. Once resistance is reached, the vibration is shut off and the crane pulls the aluminum pipe out of the sediments column and onto the deck of the boat. The barrel is removed from the rig and cut to the level of sediment that has filled the pipe. Both ends are capped and taped to prevent leakage of the sediment out of the pipe. All cores are labeled and stored until processing. Detailed information can be found on the Methods page.

In the lab, vibracores were cut lengthwise, and in some cases a sonicating knife was used to obtain a clean, undisturbed surface on one-half length of the vibracore. This section was used to describe the core's contents on a Vibracore Description Sheet. Description includes, but is not limited to, sediment grain-size content, color, and characteristics such as bedding types, bioturbation, shells and shell fragments, and any other qualitative descriptions. Most of the cores were photographed. The description sheets are available as PDF files accessible in the directory for vibracore description sheets or through vibraprofiles.html in this archive. The other half length of the vibracore was used for sampling for various sediment analysis, most commonly sampled for grain-size. Detailed information can be found on the Methods page.

Grain-size data for 00SCC cruise and 00bss cores were obtained by using the Beckman Coulter LS 32 Laser counter variable-speed fluid module plus. A small amount (less than a teaspoon) of sample was used for analysis of grain size. Laser diffraction is correlated to the standard mesh size of each of the sediment sample grains, the distribution, and the volume of each grain mesh size. The data can be extracted in phi, mesh size, and in statistical formats of mean, standard deviation, kurtosis, cumulative size fractions, and percent. Although other extraction methods of data information are available using this machine, those previously mentioned were the most frequently used for this archive. The grain sizes presented for the P86 cruise were found in Suter and others (1991). The sand percents reported were both observed and analyzed. Grain-size analyses for these cores were conducted randomly. Overall, the percent sand, silt, and clay variations for the cores are presented in the folder Grain_Size and on the grain.html page of this archive. Detailed information can be found on the Methods and Grain-Size and Penetrometer Data pages.

The Photograph section includes core photographs for a few CR83 and most P86 and 00SCC cores.

The Study Area Map and the EUSTIS map were created by GIS software, modified by Adobe Illustrator software, and made available as JPEG or GIF files.

Note: All sediment core data are linked to the cores on the Study Area Map for all vibracores (00SCC, CR83, and P86) and the cores on the USACE EUSTIS map for all borehole cores. Clicking on a core or core ID on the Study Area Map pages will bring forth a Core Data Table that contains all sediment core data and displays the specific core's information. The back button returns the user to the Study Area Map section. The Core Data Table (includes data from all cruises: USACE EUSTIS borehole cores (B-#), 00SCC (bss cores), CR83, and P86) contains core ID and five other columns containing previews and downloadable files for vibracore description sheets, interpreted core classification profiles, grain-size data, penetrometer data, and photographs.

The digitizing process: A digitizing tablet by Wacom Co., Ltd., and Golden Software's Didger_3 digitizing programs were used for the physical digitizing process of the vibracore description sheets. A macro program created by James G. Flocks (USGS) was used to process the digitized description sheet profile information into interpreted core classification profiles or spreadsheets of information, accessible as Excel files (XLS). These interpreted core classification profiles are provided in this report and available for individual interpretation of the data. More information about the macro programs created by James G. Flocks (this volume) can be found in the Software folder and on the page software.html within this archive.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 19832907

Ending_Date: 20002507

Currentness_Reference: Data collection interval

Status:

Progress: Complete

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -90.211600

East_Bounding_Coordinate: -89.475880

North_Bounding_Coordinate: 29.471700

South_Bounding_Coordinate: 29.189000

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Theme_Keyword: Vibracoring Survey

Theme_Keyword:R/V G.K. Gilbert

Theme_Keyword: Subsidence and Coastal Change (SCC)

Theme_Keyword: Vibracore

Theme_Keyword: G-2-00-LA

Theme_Keyword: 00SCC01

Theme_Keyword: G-3-00-LA

Theme_Keyword: 00SCC03

Theme_Keyword: G-4-00-LA

Theme_Keyword: 00SCC05

Theme_Keyword: Borehole Cores

Theme_Keyword: USACE EUSTIS

Theme_Keyword: Cheniere Ronquille, LA (CR)

Theme_Keyword: Plaquemines, LA (P)

Theme_Keyword: Sediment Data Archive

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Place_Keyword: Louisiana

Place_Keyword: Gulf of Mexico

Place_Keyword: Barataria Bay

Place_Keyword: Sandy Point

Place_Keyword: Belle Pass

Place_Keyword: Grand Isle

Access_Constraints: None. These data are held in the public domain.

Use_Constraints:

The U.S. Geological Survey and the University of New Orleans request to be acknowledged as originators of this product in future products or in derivative research.

Location map's Western Section of the location map includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section A, divided further into two areas (refer to Section A map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's Western Section A-Area 1 includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section A, divided further into Area 1 (refer to Section A-Area 1 map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's Western Section A-Area 2 includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section A, divided further into Area 2 (refer to Section A-Area 2 map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's West-central Section B includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section B, divided further into two areas (refer to Section B map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's West-central Section B-Area 1 includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section B, divided further into Area 1 (refer to Section B-Area 1 map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's West-central Section B-Area 2 includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section B, divided further into Area 2 (refer to Section B-Area 2 map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's Central Section C includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section C, divided further into six different areas (refer to Section C map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's Central Section C-Area 1 includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section C, divided further into Area 1 (refer to Section C-Area 1 map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's Central Section C-Area 2 includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section C, divided further into Area 2 (refer to Section C-Area 2 map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's Central Section C-Area 3 includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section C, divided further into Area 3 and Area 3A (refer to Section C-Area 3 map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's Central Section C-Area 4 includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section C, divided further into Area 4 (refer to Section C-Area 4 map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's Central Section C-Area 5 includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section C, divided further into Area 5 (refer to Section C-Area 5 map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's Central Section C-Area 6 includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section C, divided further into Area 6 (refer to Section C-Area 6 map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's Eastern Section D includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section D, divided further into three different areas (refer to Section D map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's Eastern Section D-Area 1 includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section D, divided further into Area 1 (refer to Section D-Area 1 map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's Eastern Section D-Area 2 includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section D, divided further into Area 2 (refer to Section D-Area 2 map on the Study Area Maps page).

Location map's Eastern Section D-Area 3 includes CR83, P86, and 00SCC vibracore data. This graphic is for vibracore data collected in Section D, divided further into Area 3 (refer to Section D-Area 3 map on the Study Area Maps page).

The bss-shapefiles.zip volume contains digital vector files for the study area maps included in this archive. These shapefiles and accompanying ESRI ArcView files are denoted as 00SCC (file name: bss-vcores.shp), CR83 and P86 cores (file name: CR-P-86cores.shp), and USACE EUSTIS (file name: Eustis_borings.shp) in the zip file.

Browse_Graphic_File_Type: digital vector files; shapefiles (.shp)

Data_Set_Credit:

The USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program and the University of New Orleans provided funding and (or) support for this study. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Louisiana Geological Survey (LGS), the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR), and Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey, Inc., for conducted geophysical surveys, sediment data, and publication of these cruises archived in this report. We thank R/V G.K. Gilbert captains Dave Bennett of Eckerd College and Rich Young of the USGS in St. Petersburg, FL, for their assistance in data collection. This document was improved by the reviews of Shawn Dadisman (USGS) and Arnell Harrison (Jacobs) at the FISC in St. Petersburg, FL.

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

The validity or accuracy of vibracore description sheets and digitized profiles is highly qualitative and depends on describer's discretion and interpretations, and physical variables such as software and operating conditions for the digitizing equipment. Visual inspection of the processed digitized profile images rendered from the handwritten description sheets did not show any major anomalies. Grain-size data for P86 and 00SCC cruises rendered a quantitative and fairly accurate account of the grain-size distribution throughout the cores. The P86 cruise grain-size data were obtained from Suter and others (1991). The sand percents reported for 00SCC cruises were both observed and analyzed. Grain-size analysis for these cores was random. The UTM accuracy of mapped core locations is based on coordinates and GPS noted in handwritten logbooks in the field. These field notes can be found as FACS logs or in the logbook on the Field Logs page and within the FACS folder. The map data sets include CR83, P86, 00SCC, and USACE EUSTIS cruises and display vibracore and borehole core locations. The spatial data sets include these cruises in three files (CR_P_86, BSS-cores, and Eustis_borings). These data sets are in the ARC folder, located in the Software folder, as bss-shapefiles.zip. These files were created using ESRI ArcView software and are considered to be accurate to the geographic coordinates in decimal degree to the nearest 0.000000. Note: The maps presented here are NOT for navigational purposes.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

This data set derives from several cruises with consistent instrument calibrations. However, acquisitions of core sites during each cruise were acquired using differential GPS.

Positions of the cores were recorded and written in the field logbooks. For each core of the 00SCC (00SCC01, 00SCC03, and 00SCC05) cruises in Zone 15, UTM coordinates were obtained by differential GPS. For positional accuracy for CR83, P86, and EUSTIS cores please refer to the publications cited in Suter and others (1991) and Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey, Inc. (1986). For all GIS shapefiles, horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes and longitudes are given to the nearest 0.000000. Latitude and longitude values are specified in decimal degrees.

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

These data are not to be used for bathymetry. Vibracore data are relative to sea level. However, varying recorded static shifts of the data have been known to occur. The core and water depths are located on the vibracore description profiles and are recorded in the 00SCC (00SCC01, 00SCC03, and 00SCC05) logbooks. These water depths were recorded by a depth finder on the R/V G.K. Gilbert. The depth of the vibracore may have penetrometer data that tell the depth of core penetration. However, the penetrometer data are not always available, and depth of core could be based on core recovery length. The recovery length of the core and (or) penetrometer data are recorded in the logbook for most cores of each cruise. To view vertical positional accuracy for CR83, P86, and EUSTIS cores, please refer to the publications cited in Suter and others (1991) and Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey, Inc. (1986).

Contributed vibracore information for most of the CR83 or Cheniere Ronquille cores and all of the P86 cruise or Plaquemines cores. This includes, but is not limited to, logbook information files, vibracore profiles, grain size data, penetrometer data, and core location geographic coordinates.

Contributed (1) a document describing how to operate the digitizing and processing systems and (2) an Excel Macro Digitizing Program file that converts the digitized hard-copy sediment core description sheets to a spreadsheet format.

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Vibracore location map creation: The vibracore location maps provided in this archive were created using ESRI ArcView 3.3 and ArcGIS 8.3 software, exported to Adobe Illustrator for further editing, and saved in JPEG format. The maps are unprojected (geographic coordinates, NAD83). The coordinates for the cores were obtained from the publication sources listed below and from the logbooks for each cruise. The USGS is the originator of all layers used.

Data Series preparation: In addition to the process steps described above, the following steps were taken to produce this Data Series report: the handwritten logs were scanned and saved as PDF files, digital FACS logs were created using the handwritten logs and personal accounts of the crew members and saved as PDF files, and an HTML-based format was used to present the various parts of this archive.

Digitizing vibracore profiles or Interpreted Core Classification Profiles: Required hand digitizing a paper copy of the core description sheets using a digitizing tablet; data were converted to an electronic spreadsheet format (Microsoft Excel, XLS) using a Visual Basic macro program. This macro program produced a spreadsheet-style output of the description sheet as XLS files that were saved as PDF and JPEG files for the HTML-based format used to present these data in the various parts of this archive. Information on the digitizing process can be found in Flocks (this volume) (see Methods or Software page). For step-by-step instructions on the process please contact James Flocks (jflocks@usgs.gov) for more information.

Latitude_Resolution: Latitude coordinates are given to the nearest 0.000000.

Longitude_Resolution: Longitude coordinates are given to the nearest 0.000000.

Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal degrees

Geodetic_Model:

Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983

Ellipsoid_Name: Clarke 1866

Semi-major_Axis: 6378206.400000

Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 1/294.978698

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Indirect_Spatial_Reference:

Horizontal x and y locations (latitude and longitude and UTM coordinates) for each core location are provided in logbook or description sheet profiles, along with the date and time of the vibracoring process. The first file bss-vcores.shp is a shapefile that contains point data relevant to vibracores collected for the Barataria Sand Survey in the summer of 2000 (combined cruises: 00SCC01, 00SCC03, 00SCC05). The second file CR-P-86cores.shp is a shapefile that contains point data relevant to vibracores collected by the Louisiana Geological Survey. The third file Eustis_borings.shp is a shapefile that contains point data relevant to sediment borings collected by USACE.

This DVD publication was prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data on any other system, nor shall the act of distribution imply any such warranty. The U.S. Geological Survey shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and (or) contained herein. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof.

Map shapefiles: The GIS project used to create the maps is composed of map documents, shapefiles, and metadata. Map documents were created with ESRI ArcGIS 8.3 software. The shapefiles provided may also be viewed using other versions of ArcGIS, ArcView, or the public domain software ArcExplorer (http://www.esri.com/software/arcexplorer/).